Job 24:21

He preys on ¹  the barren and childless woman, ²  and does not treat the widow well.

They prey on the barren and childless woman, and to the widow show no kindness.

"He wrongs the barren woman And does no good for the widow.

For they have taken advantage of the childless who have no protecting sons. They refuse to help the needy widows.

Unscrupulous, they prey on those less fortunate.

He is not kind to the widow, and he has no pity for her child.

"They harm the childless woman, and do no good to the widow.

For he preys on the barren who do not bear, And does no good for the widow.

He preys on ¹  the barren and childless woman, ²  and does not treat the widow well.

¹ tc The form in the text is the active participle, “feed; graze; shepherd.” The idea of “prey” is not natural to it. R. Gordis (Job, 270) argues that third he (ה) verbs are often by-forms of geminate verbs, and so the meaning here is more akin to רָעַע (ra’a’, “to crush”). The LXX seems to have read something like הֵרַע (hera’, “oppressed”).

² tn Heb “the childless [woman], she does not give birth.” The verbal clause is intended to serve as a modifier here for the woman. See on subordinate verbal clauses GKC 490 §156.d, f.